Typewriting machine



1943- o. J. SUNDSTRAND 2,326,409

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 \umuuulmu INVENTOR OSCAR 1. SUNDSJFAND ATTORNEY I Aug. 10, 1943. o. J. SUNDSTRAND TYPEWRITING MACHINE 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 31

INVENTOR OSCAR]. .SUNDSIRAND ATTORNEY g- 10, 1943- o. J. SUNDSTRAND 2,326,409

TYPEWRITFENG MACHINE Filed Dec. .31, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR OSCAR]. JUNDSIRAND A TORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1943' 2,326,409 p I v H TYPEWRITING MACHINE V,

Oscar J. Sundstrand, West Hartford, Conn, as-

signer to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, v New York, N. Y., a corporation. of Delaware Application December 31, 1940, Serial No. 372,632

4 Claims. (c1. 197-;3)

This invention relates to typewriting machines of the flat platen type in which the platen is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to its plane to clamp the work sheets in operating position and to release said work sheets. In typewriting machines'of the Elliott Fisher type and in certain other machines, the flat platen is movable toward and from the type mechanism ortoward and from the work clamping plates located along the side bars of the platen frame to enable the Work sheets to be inserted inthe machine and to clamp the sheets in operative position. i

The primary objects of the present invention are to improve the construction and mode of operation of the platen mechanisms of machines of the above type and to producea 'platen mechanism in which'the required movements of the platen may be easily produced manually, and the mechanism for supporting the platen is reatly implified as compared with prior mechanisms.

Another object of the invention is to produce an improved construction formovably'supporting the fiat platen of machines-of the above, type in which thepparts are of 'rel'ativelylight' con struction, may be more cheaply manufactured and may be more readily assembled than in prior mechanisms. 7

Another object of the invention is to produce a platen supporting construction for machines of the fiat platen type in which the platen may be quickly and easily moved out of operative position and restored to such position by and under of the platen frame, platen and platen supporting tical section, taken substantiallyon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

y 7 Fi 3 is a .view similar to Fig lsho wing certain of the parts in different positions, v

Fig. 4 is a view in'front elevation partl broken I away, illustrating certain portions of themecha nism shown in Figs. "1 to 3, inclusive, 11 j Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating, in rear elevation, certain parts fof theiplaten lowering mechanism, and 1 Fig. 6 is a detail view'in vertical section illustrating the manner in which'the supporting levers oi the platen mechanism are pivoted on the frame.

In the present application, the invention is 11- lustrated as embodied in a typewriting' machine of the Elliott Fisher type such as that illustrated and described in the-patent to FoothorapNo.

1,904,127, dated ADIildE, 1933. {The machine shown in said patent comprises a substantially rectangular platen frame, a'fline' space frame mounted on theplaten frame and movable'forwardly and rearwardly on the platen frame and a type head or carriage mounted on the line space frame and movable thereon transversely of the machine in advance and return directions. The platen frame and platen of the illustrated machine have substantially'the 'sameconstruction and arrangeme'ntof parts as the correspondin mechanism of the machine disclosed inthe above Foothorap patent. I Y

The construction shown in the drawings" 1Com prises a platen frame provided Wlilh'SllbSfidIlfiidllY parallel side bars 2 and with front and rear cross bars 4 and ii connecting said side barsg The flat platen indicated at 8 consists of a substantially;

rectangular plate mounted for vertical movement in the space between the side bar and the front and. rear cross bars of the platen frame. The side bars 2 of the platen' frame are provided respectively with clamping plates I0 extending'over the side margins of the platenbetwe n one'or both of Which and the platen the work sheets areclamped when the platen is moved to its upper position, the clamping plates serving to .limit the upward movement of the-platen;

In the present machine the platen is supported in the platenirame and is moved in said frame in directions substantially perpendicular toithe general plane of said frame or to the plane 'of the platen, the several positions of .theplate'n being substantially parallel With'each' othen "The mechanism for supporting the platenli n the frame comprises front an'dlrearj, supporting levers l2 and; 14, all of substantially-,thesame construction and pivotedin asimilar 'manner'to the platen frame. *Ihe twolevers l 2..a,dja',eent

shown). Y

With this construction, the levers [4 andwith them the levers 12 may be swung in a counterclockwisedirection, Figs. 2 and 3, to allow'the platen to be depressed, by the depression of the treadle and treadle rod, the movementof. the levers and the downward movement of the platen being limited by the engagement of the arms 53 of the levers til with the pins 54. 'Upon the release of the treadle and treadle rod, the levers l2 and i l will be restored to their normal positions by the springs 37 to elevate the platen.

The levers l2 and id are all arranged in parallel relation and are maintained in such relation at all points in their swinging movements. The connection between the levers I2 and 14 on each side of the platen causes parallel movements to be given to said levers by the turning movement of the actuating rock shaft 33 or by the vertical movements of the bar 58. The connection between the levers I 2 and between the levers M which may be said to be arranged in pairs, the members of which are located in opposed relation on opposite sides of the platen, v

porting levers, movements of translation are imparted to the platen, and, in the present embodiment of the invention, these movements are substantially perpendicular to the general plane of the platen.

It will be noted from and 3 of the drawings that, after the platen raising mechanism starts to raise the platen from the position shown in Fig. 3, the point of contact of each of the lever l2 with the lower side of the platen moves toward a linesubstantially perpendicular to the platen and passing through the axis of the lever, until the platen reaches its uppermost position. Thus each of the levers l4 exerts an increasing mechanical advantage on the platen during the upward movement thereof from the position shown in Fig. 3.

It is to be understood that the terms raising and lowering applied to the movements of the platen, are not to be regarded as restrictive but that these terms apply generally to movements of a platen toward and from its operative positron, whether or not these are vertical movements.

I-Iaving explained the nature and object of the invention and having specifically described a 4 by gravitational action, the levers on opposite sides of the platen being arranged in pairs the members of which swing on coincident axes,

means for connecting said levers for movement in unison in the same direction aboutthe several axes thereof comprising links for connecting the levers on each side of the platen to maintain the same in parallel relation during their movements, means for maintaining the levers at one end of an inspection ofv Figs. 2

I lever secured to., the rock shaft to turn the same the platen in parallel relation during theirmovements comprising a rock shaft located adjacent theforward end of the platen fram in a position transverse thereto, arms fixed tothe. rock shaft and links connecting the arms onthe rock shaft respectively with-saidilatter twoylevers, ahand to swing said supporting levers to raise and lower the platen and a stop for limiting the movement of the rock shaft in a direction to lower the platen.

' 2. A typewriting machine comprising a platen frame, a plate-like platen' mounted for movement in said frame in directions substantially perpendicular to the plane thereof, means for supporting the platen on said frame comprising three or more supporting-levers pivoted respectively to the frame on axes extending in the same I direction substantially parallel to the plane of the platen and each arranged to support one point in the platen by contact therewith for engaging and supporting the platen, each lever having contact surfaces fixed with relation to the lever and located at different distances from the axis of the lever and arranged to be brought successively into engagement with the platen by the pivotal movement of the lever, upon which levers theplaten rests by gravitational action, means for connecting said levers for movement in unison in the same direction about the several axes thereof and manually controlled means for swinging said forwardly of the transverse central line of the platen on opposite sides thereof. and pivoted to,

the platen frame on coincident axes and arranged to support the platen by contact therewith, the platen resting on said levers and being held in place by graVity and two supporting 1evers located to the rear of said central line on opposite sides of the platen and pivoted to the platen frame on coincident axes substantially parallel with the axes of said first levers and arranged to support the platenby contact therewith, the platen also resting on said levers'and being held in plac by gravity, means for connecting all said levers for movement in unison in the same direction about the several axes thereof, a

cross bar connecting two of said levers on opposite sides of the platen and vertically movable to raise and lower the platen and treadle operatedmean for operating said cross bar to depress the platen.

4. In a typewriting machine, a platen frame, a substantially flat platen mounted in said frame for movements of translation in directionssubstantially perpendicular to the plane of the platen, means for movably supporting the platen: in said frame comprising four or more parallel supporting levers arranged two on each side of the platen, to support the platen by contact and each having an upper and a lower arm, upon the upper arms of which levers the platen rests and is held in place by gravitational action, the levers on opposite sides of the platen being arranged in pairs the members of which swing on coincident axes, means for connecting said levers for movement in unison in the same direction about the several axes thereof comprising'link for connectingLthe rleverson eabh side .2011- theiplatemt'o V maintainwhe samei inz'parallelmelation during their movements, means Toremaintaining theale vers nearerxhe :iorward :end1of=.the .platen' in par allel' relationduringiheir' mbvementsadomprisf inga horizontal rock shaft moun'ted adjacent ithe forwardv endwt-Etheplaten frame inaa; position 7 transverse thereto; arms. mounted'on and extend- OSCAR JISUNDS'I'RAND. 

